Wrapping equipment



June 18, 1963 a. A. ARVIDSON 3,093,945

WRAPPING EQUIPMENT Filed Dec. 16, 1960 IN VEN TOR.

gefgi CZ. Qrw'daom United States Patent 3,093,945 WRAPPING EQUIPMENT Bengt A. Arvidson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Miller Wrapping & Sealing Machine Co., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 16, 1960, Ser. No. 76,170 3 Claims. (Cl. 53--206) This invention relates to wrapping equipment for packages and more particularly to equipment including an initial wrap table and a semi-automatic wrapping machine with adjustment in both for a particular size article being accomplished by adjustment of one due .to interconnections therebetween.

An object of this invention is to provide wrapping equipment having an initial wrap table, for partially wrappingzman article, with an article locating means, a machine with a series of in-line stations for completing the wrapping of the article, and means for simultaneously adjusting the in-line stations and the article locating means to quickly and easily adjust the equipment for wrapping articles of different lengths.

Another object is to provide such wrapping equipment, in which the adjustment for adjusting the in-line stations to accommodate articles of different lengths is directly connected by a flexible element to the article cating means of the initial Wrap table. to adjust the article locating means simultaneously with the adjustment of the stations. Additionally, the adjustment of said stations may be accomplished from a remote location.

The objects of the invention generally set forth together with other ancillary advantages are attained by the construction and arrangement shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a wrapping machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view in elevation of the wrapping machine; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view taken substantially along line 33.of FIG. 1.

While this-invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail an illustrated embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The automatic adjusting means disclosed by this invention is adapted for use with wrapping equipment includ ing a wrapping machine of the type described in my copending application Serial No. 642,526, filed February 26, 1957, now US. Patent No. 2,981,043, which discloses a semi-automatic machine for wrapping a package comprising differently shaped cuts of meats or produce which have been placed either on a tray having shallow sides or on a board with no sides. In modern supermarkets, meats, produce, and the like are wrapped in such a machine on a production line basis and any improvement that reduces the set-up time for packaging is an important factor in the industry. The instant means for adjusting the described wrapping machine provides an automatic adjustment that enables the operator to easily and rapidly adjust the machine to handle articles of different lengths thereby increasing the efficiency of the machine and cutting down operating time. The one adjustment also results in setting up the article stop on the platform of the initial wrap table.

The wrapping machine is illustrated generally at A in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is shown in association with an initial wrapping table 1 which provides a location for an operator to first place a sheet of wrapping material around an article. The wrapping table 1 supports a tray 2 that is provided with a plurality of sheets of thin wrapping material 3 such as cellophane. An article support platform 4, such as described in my Patent No. 2,954,654, issued October 4, 1960, is mounted over the initial wrapping table 1 adjacent its end. The platform. 4 is provided with an upwardly extending back stop 5 for locating the leading edge of the article to be wrapped, and end stop 6 is provided to engage one end of the article and position the center line of the article on the center line of the wrapping sheet 3. The end stop 6 is adjustable in a direction transverse of the length of the machine along a slot 7 provided in the back stop 5 and is held in the slot by a headed pin 8. A hot plate 9 is supported from the back stop 5 and seals the corners of the wrapping material 3 af-ter the article has had a partial wrap.

The wrapping machine A has a framework 10* which supports the wrapping stations and their mechanisms. The machine has a loading station 11 and a series of tucking and sealing stations that complete the wrapping of the article.

An article which has been partially wrapped at the ini-.

tial wrap table 1 and sealed on the hot plate 8, is placed at the loading station 11 on a pair of spaced apart guide rails 12 and between a pair of side confining guides 13. The article is moved through station 11 by a chain conveyor 14-, having lugs 14a thereon, and through the succeeding wrapping stations along the guide rails 12 by an overhead chain conveyor 15 having downwardly extendin'g arms 15a that contact the article. A center support bracket 16 is vertically mounted at the center line of the machine between the guide rails 12. As the article is advanced from the loading station 11 to the succeeding in line wrapping stations it is guided at both ends by side guides 13. A hand wheel 17 may be connected to either end of a shaft 18 which is mounted in the framework 10 transverse of the length of the machine, adjacent station 11, and has opposite threaded sections 19 and 20. Adjustable frame members 21 and 22 are mounted on the threaded sections 19 and 20, respectively, of the shaft 18 and a corresponding shaft 23 is mounted to frame member 10 at the exit end of the machine. The shaft 23 is connected to the shaft 18 by a drive chain 24. The frame members 21 and 22 have bearing housings, as shown at 25 and 26, slidable on a bearing shaft 27 extending across and afiixed at its ends to the framework 10 adjacent the shaft 23 and similar bearings 28 and 29 slidable on a similar bearing shaft 30 are mounted adjacent the shaft 18.

Rotation of the shaft 18 by the hand wheel 17 results in either moving the frame members 21 and 22 toward each other or away from each other depending on the direction of rotation. These frame members carry the article guide rails 12, the side guides 13, the lead-in conveyor 14, and the mechanisms of the in-line: wrapping stations that complete the wrapping of the article. It can be seen that by rotating the hand wheel 17 the operator adjusts the frame members to set up the machine for any desired length of package, and the length is indicated along a scale 31 supported on the framework 10 along which an indicator 32 carried on the frame member 22 travels.

A reversible motor with gear reducer 33 is mounted in the lower portion of the framework 10 and has its output shaft provided with a sprocket 34 which engages the drive chain 24 connecting the shafts 18 and 23. A three position electrical switch 35 is located on the initial wrap table 1 at a side of the article support platform 4 and is connected to the motor 33 by a suitable electrical cable 36. The switch 35 is a three pole, double throw switch with a center off position and a momentary contact spring return to the off position. When the operator pushes the switch forward power is supplied to the motor 33 rotating the output shaft sprocket 34 and transmittingmotion 'to the shafts 18 and 23 through the chain 24 causing the frame members 21 and-22 to move closer together, and when the operator pulls the switch toward him the motor is reversed causing the frames 21 and 22 to move away from each other. The wrapping machine is therefore adjusted for any desired lentgh of package, within the limits of the machine, by the mere pressing of an electrical switch-and'obscrving the scale 31.

Provision is made for connecting the article end stop 6 to the frame member 22in order that the end stop may be moved at the same time the frame members are moved to provide simultaneous adjustment thereof whereby all adjustments dictated by the package length may be accomplished at one time. The connection comprises a flexible hollow casing 40 having one end affixed to the center support bracket 16 at a point 41 and extending at right angles thereto. The flexible casing 40 is formed into a U-shape so that its other end is facing the same direction as the one end and the'other end is affixed to a bracket 42 mounted on the forward corner of the initial wrap table 1 remote from the frame 21 and in line with the end stop. 6. A flexible rod 43 is provided within the casing 40-and extends outward from the ends thereof. One end'of the flexible rod 43 is connected at'a'point 44 to the frame-22' and the other end is-connected to the side of 'the end stop 6 remote from the center line of the machine. As the'frames 21 and 22 are moved toward one another by operation of the motor 33 or the hand wheel 17,- the flexible rod 43 moves relative to the stationary casing 40 and the end of the rod connected to the end stop 6 is extended outward from the casing 40' thereby moving the en'dstopfi in the slot 7 toward the center line of the machine a distance equal to the distance traveled by the frame 22, providing a location for the article during its initial Wrap operation dependent on the length'thereof. Similarly,,when the frames 21 and 22- are moved apart from each other the flexible rod 43 will travel with the frame 22 andmove the end stop 6-away from the center line of the machine.

The connection between the end stop 6 and the. frame 22 eliminates the necessity of the operator adjusting the stop at the initial wrap station since it is done simultaneously with the frame adjustment when the machine is set up for a different length of package and considerable time saving can be realized when wrapping packages of various lengths.

I claim:

1. Wrapping equipment comprising, in combination, an initial wrap table, wherein an article may be manually partially wrapped including. an-article: platform with a back stop for locating. the leading edge ofaan article and an adjustable stopto locate an: article laterally'of the platform, wrapping. machine means toadvance successive articles .ithrough spaced; in-line stations for completing the wrapping thereof including, a supportingframe work, a

' pair of spaced apantframes extendingthrough said inline stations and movably mounted on said framework, means operable to movethe frames equal. distances toward and away from each other and relative to the article advancing means, and a connection from the'adjustable stop of the wrap table to. one ofthe pair of. frames of. the wrappingmachine causing said stop and said one frame to move equal. distancesfor adjusting both the wrap table and the machineto handle dilferent length articles with a single adjustment.

I 2. The wrapping equipment. of claim 1 whereby said connection includes a'fixed elongateouter flexiblecasing and an elongate inner flexible member aflixed at one end to said stop and. at the other end to. said. one frame member.

3. Wrapping equipment as defined in claim 1 inwhich' said frame moving means includes. a reversible motor, and an electric circuit for the motor including a switch adjacent said platform. for controlling the operation of the motor.

References Cited, in the file -of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,360,910 Tone; Oct. 24, 1944 2,954,654 Arvidson Oct. 4, 1960. 2,981,043: Arvidson Apr. 2-5, 1961 

1. WRAPPING EQUIPMENT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN INITIAL WRAP TABLE, WHEREIN AN ARTICLE MAY BE MANUALLY PARTIALLY WRAPPED INCLUDING AN ARTICLE PLATFORM WITH A BACK STOP FOR LOCATING THE LEADING EDGE OF AN ARTICLE AND AN ADJUSTABLE STOP TO LOCATE AN ARTICLE LATERALLY OF THE PLATFORM, WRAPPING MACHINE MEANS TO ADVANCE SUCCESSIVE ARTICLES THROUGH SPACED IN-LINE STATIONS FOR COMPLETING THE WRAPPING THEREOF INCLUDING, A SUPPORTING FRAME WORK, A PAIR OF SPACED APART FRAMES EXTENDING THROUGH SAID INLINE STATIONS AND MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME WORK, MEANS OPERABLE TO MOVE THE FRAMES EQUAL DISTANCES TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND RELATIVE TO THE ARTICLE ADVANCING MEANS, AND A CONNECTION FROM THE ADJUSTABLE STOP OF THE WRAP TABLE TO ONE OF THE PAIR OF FRAMES OF THE WRAPPING MACHINE CAUSING SAID STOP AND SAID ONE FRAME TO MOVE EQUAL DISTANCES FOR ADJUSTING BOTH THE WRAP TABLE AND THE MACHINE TO HANDLE DIFFERENT LENGTH ARTICLES WITH A SINGLE ADJUSTMENT. 